Exams and consultations

I have been seeing and hearing from students who have been coming back to school for consultation. I have been reading some blogs. And what I see and hear worries me. There are some who still at this point think that studying for 2 - 3 hours is enough and want to have whole day breaks coz they are too stressed from "all that studying" Then you read about students from other classes who have been studying 7 - 8 hours a day and still lamenting time is running out. AND then you get real worried. What are my kids doing gallavanting in town? (Applies to some only - i know the ones who are genuinely studying and taking small breaks) Some are still gaming. If they can't sacrifice one month and have to indulge in immediate pleasures, how are they going through life when they need to sacrifice a lot more of their time? You have to put in the hard work to get the grades you desire.

And to the one who says no need to work so hard coz the course he wants to apply to doesn't require high grades,- how stupid can you get? What if suddenly next year a lot of peope think the same way and apply for the course? And the standard is set higher? And you don't get in? What are you going to do then? Redo is it? Where are you going to redo it? You don't have the discipline to do it now as a school candidate and you think you can have same kind of resources as a private candidate? Talk about living in a dream world. Good luck! And no matter how much you want to advise them, they don't want to hear it coz they want to make their own mistakes. I mean, to come and say now - oh I haven't started this subject or that - hehe what to do - HELLO! DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW! Stop waiting for other people to push you and motivate you.

Then there are those students who turn up for English consultations with head and shoulder shrugs.

Me: What did you bring?

Student: Huh must bring ah?/Bring what huh?

Me: Never mind - do this compre

You book one hour with me. I have a hell of lot of things to do. I put it all on hold so you can have uninterrupted time with me. Then you come empty-handed . You just ASSUME that I will have something for you. That tells me a lot about your attitude. Either it is plain laziness, blurness and flat out "heck care". If you have done something, then at least we can discuss. Or at least go through your file and write down what you don't understand. Then you learn something.

Oh the classic happened yesterday - a parent called to book consultation for her child ( good you are concerned about your child) but sounded unhappy when I had no slots left until Thursday. Then called again to book another slot next week - and wanted it at the convenience of the child. I didn't understand why the child couldn't make the phonecall. So next time the child goes for a job interview, the parent would sit in and answer the questions?